Humidifier



Ju|ie 16, 1925. 1,542,136

. W. B- HODGE HUMIDIFIER Original ile De 17, 1920.

Fig.1

- lnven TuT: William BHodge s Patented June 16,1925

- UNITED ESTAT -z,

* T CQFFI WILLIAM- B. HODGE, or cmm'norrn, NORTH oeaonmn, Assmnroa To ranxs-onemn e COMPANY, 01? BOSTON, msseonusnr'rs, a qpnPoRarIoN or MASSACHUSETTS.

' numnrmna.-

Original application filed December 17, 1920, Serial ism-431,521. Divided and this "applieatonfilled May To all whom it may concm;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. Hones, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Charlotte, county of Mecklenburg, 5 State of North: Carolina, have invented an Improvement in Humidifiers, of which the following-description, in connection with.

the accompanying drawing, isa 'specifica tion, like chara'cte'rs on the drawing rep- J resenting like parts. v

This invention relates to "impr0vements in humidifiers of the type in which a current of air is projected through a cloud of spray produced in any suitable man ner,- the' current of air, after abs'orbin moisture from the spray, being delivered into. ,the. enclosure to be humidified, while the water which is not vaporized oratomized is collected and. preferably recirculated through the spraying device. v

The usual type of apparatus commercially used is exemplified in Patent No. 996,217 granted June 27, 1911, to Stuart W. rainer 4 and myself which'disclosesa humidifier,

my prior application Serial No.'431,521 filed December 17, 1920, .for improvements in humidifiers. a One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a humidifier of the above type, of simplified construction, in which the initial cost of production and installation will be decreased and which will be more economically and efiicientlyv operated to maintain a desired condition of humidity than humidifiers heretofore produced. The principal object of the invention is to provide a humidifier of the character described with automatically operable means for restricting'the amount. of spray in correlation to the amount of moisture in the 'air supplied to the humidifier.

A further object of the invention is to provide regulating means operable to vary comprising a casing, suspended from the ceiling of the enclosure, hav1ng a down- The present application is a division of I 17,1923. Serial No. 639,633.

- the quantity'of spray produced and thereby to control .the amount of moisture delivered by the humidifier. l

A further object of the invention is to provide regulating means of the character described. whiclrwill control theamou-nt of moisture delivered from the humidifier without varying the air current or the amount of fluid delivered by the spray-producing I means.

. 'A further stats of the invention is to provide a novel, spray-controlling means operable seledtively, partially or fully, to

the amount of moisture delivered to the humidifier without varying the amount of fluid delivered by the jet.

A further object of the invention is to divert the jet of spray and thereby regulate provide-means for controlling the regulating 1:neans including a member which is sensltlve to moisture, prcferablyof hygrofiuenced by the moisture-content of the air entering the humidifier, thus enabling the 'scopic material, so positionedv as to be inamount offlmoisture delivered by the 'humdifier to bevcorrelated to the moisture condi- .tion of the air of the'enclosure so that the atmosphere of the air of the enclosure may be maintained at a predetermined substantiallyconstant condition of humidity.

A further feature of the invention consists inproviding a humidifier regulating means' of-the character described with a member or members sensitive to moisture which are of the same material as that which is being operated upon-.within the enclosure, thereby enabling a substantially constanticontent ofmoisture to be maintained in the material being treated. I

Other objects and features of the, invention will more full appear :trom'thelfollowdescription an the accompanying drawmg and will be particularly pointed out in the following claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the humidifier embodying the invention, certain portions being broken away and: others illustrated in cross section; I j Fig. 2 is a detail view of the dial mechanism which indicates the adjustmentyof the re ulating device;

ig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view of a portion of the spray-producing mechanism showing one means of controlling the amount of spray delivered in the path of the current of air passing through the humidifier casing; and,

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modified form of regulating means which is adapted to be so adjusted as to divert a part or the whole of the jet of spray which is normally presented in the path of the current of air in the humidifier casing.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is-disclosed herein as applied 'to a humidifier which is suspended vertically from thepceiling of an enclosure to be humidified,

but it will be understood that whereas the following description is specifically addressed to this particular embodiment of the invention itis not restrictive and that the various novel features of the invention may be employed also in humidifiers having other arrangements and also other types of humidifiers to which the invention may be adapted.

As illustrated herein the humidifier comprises a supporting frame which desirably is in the form of a ring l'formed of cast iron or other metal, provided with a pair of oppositely extending hollow arms 2, 3 having flanges 4, 5 by which they are secured to the lower ends of hangers 6, 7 which may be su ported from the ceiling of the enclosure or fiiom any other suitable support.

The humidifier comprises as outer, preferably cylindrical, casing'which desirably is constructed in two telescoping sections 8, 9, the upper section 8 of which is secured within the ring 1, while the lower section 9 is provided with an outwardly-flanged lower end 10 which is connected by suitable brackets 11 to apan 12 which receives and collects the excess of water supplied to the humidifier.

The humidifier also comprises an inner casing 13 of smaller diameter and concentric with the lower section of the outer casing, said inner casing also having a divergent lower portion 14 which is supported above the pan 12. A deflector 15 is also provided intermediate of the lower portions 1 and 14 of the outer and inner casings. T e lower end of the inner casing 14 is located above a gutter 16 which is supported upon a hollow brackets 17 providing a passage for water and leading to the pan 12. A suitable con'ical deflector 18 is located axially of the inner casing and serves to deflect the blast of air through the humidifier outwardly in a substantially horizontal direction through the space between the lower ends of the casing members and the pan.'

The pan 12 may be and is provided. with the usual strainer" 19 and outlet pipe 20 which may lead to a pump to provide for the recirculation of thewater to the humidifier nozzle, and water motor which will hereinafter be described.

The pan 12 and the casing members carried thereby are supported by members ,21, 22 which are connected at their lower ends to the brackets 11 and at their upper ends to downwardly projecting bosses 23, 24 upon the arms 2 and 3 of the supporting frame 1 of the humidifier, The boss 23 desirably may be in the form of a socket to receive 75 the upper end of the rod 21, suitable set screws being provided for securing the rod therein. The boss 24 desirably is hollow and communicates with a conduit 25 in the arm 3 to provide a passageway for the waste water from the motor as will hereinafter be described; The end of the conduit 25 may be provided with a suitable plug 26 to close the opening therein, the opposite end of the conduit 25 being closed in any suitable manner:

The member 22 desirably is a pipe having at its upper end screw threaded connection with the boss 24 and at its lower end suitably secured to the bracket 11 and extending beyond the same along the wall of the pan so that the waste water from the motor" will be conducted through said supporting member to the pan of the humidifier.

. In this type of humidifier means are provided for producing a conoidal jet or spray of water within thecasing and a fan, located in the upper part of the casing or above the casing, serves to force a current of air] through tribute the same through the openingat the lower end ofthe casing just above the pan.

In the preferred construction illustrated herein Water under high pressure, as forexample 150 pounds per square inch, is sup- 105 plied to a pipe 27 having a connection 28 provided with a suitable valve 29 leading to a pipe 30 which extends through the hollow arm 2. The pipe 30 is connected at its oppo site end to a suitable elbow, or for convcn- 110 ience in construction to a plugged T 31 the vertical arm of which is connected to the upper end of a pipe 32 which supports at its lower end a nozzle for producing a conoidal jet of spray.

The form of nozzle, which is illustrated herein, is so constructed that stoppage, due to the accumulation of particles of dirt and other foreign matter, will be prevented. It comprises a body portion 33 which supports 120 at its upper end a cylindrical screen 34 which extends upwardly within the pipe 32. The body portion 33 is provided with passages which serve-to cause the water passing downwardly through the screen to flow 125 through a sinuous course to a chamber 35 in said body, thereby causing a slow circulation of the water under pressure which permits the particles of dirt and other dbris to settle in said chamber, thereby preventthe spray thus produced and to dis-' ing stoppage ofthe nozzle. The water. passes from the chamber into the upper end of a stand pipe 36, the upper endof whichprojects above the chamber 35, (see Figs. 3 and 4), and the Water is delivered from the lower endof this stand pipe through a restricted nozzle in the form of a small jet which is directed against the flat upper end ofa pin 37 located'closely adjacent to the nozzle in such a manner as toproduce a conoidal film-like jet which breaks into a finely divided spray upon reaching the wall of the inner casing. a y

In the preferred construction illustrated the pin 37 projects upw ardl from a vertical standard 38 which is ormed integral with and extends diametrically across asupporting ring39 having an upwardly extending boss 40 which is suitably secured, as, by a screw threaded connection, to the body portion 83 of the nozzle.

Any suitable means maybeprovidedfor projecting the air to be moistened through the conoidal film-like jet. In the'preferred constructionillustrated herein a fan 41 is mounted upon a shaft 42 which is located axially .ofthe casing and isdrivenby a suit-- I able motor to cause a strong blast'of air to be projected donwwardly through the casing.

Preferably a water motor of the type more fully described in my prior application, ,of

whichthisis a division, 1s employed as such a motor can be operated by water under pressure which also is supplied tothe 'humidi'fier jet. While a full descriptlon of a the motor is unnecessary, it may be stated ed as either to shut off or turn on the jr.

. to the conduit 25 in the arm 3 that the water factor may be actuated by water under pressure passing through a pipe 43 which is connected to the pipe 27 and the waste water from the motor conducted through a' hollow arm 44 of the "motor stand of the supporting frame and thence to the waste pipe 22. l

The principal object of the invention, as above described is" to provide novel means for regulating the amount of spray which is presented in thepath of the current of air which passes through the humidifier. Reg

ulating devices for-humidifiers of this type heretofore employed have been so constr r' Sf spray or to stop and start the fan which pro duces the current of air through the humiditier or to perform. both of these operations. The present invention contemplates the provision of regulating means by which a. portion or. all of the jet of spray may be divert ed or intercepted without the necessity of varying the amount of water discharged through the nozzle or varying the current of .air produced by the fan.

The preferred mechanism for accomplishing this purpose comprises a shield, preferably in the form of a cylinder 45, which surrounds the post 38 and is of sufficiently large diameter to permit the stream "of water, when the jet of spray is intercepted or diverted, to flow through the space between the shield and the post.

Suitable means are provided for adjusting the shield relatively to the nozzle in such a manner as to divert a portion or the Whole of the spray produced'by the nozzle from'the path of the air current. 5

- As illustrated in Fig. 3 the shield 45 is shown as being of cylindrical form with a flat upper end and axially disposed with reference to the nozzle. By moving the shield vertically in such a manner as to cause it to enclose the jet issuing from the nozzle, the film of spray, which otherwise would be produced by the jet as it impinges upon the upper end of the pin 37, will be intercepted by the walls of the cylindrical shield and caused to rundownwardly into the drip pan. Thus the humidifier will be rendered practically inoperative without modifying the volume of water delivered from the spray nozzleand without varying the current of air yvhich is caused to pass through the humidiier.

By providing different forms of shields any desired graduated production of humid .ity may be obtalned. In Fig. 4 a cylindrical shield 45" is shown. theupper end of which is beveled obliquely relatively'to the axis of the shield so that when the shield is raised toward the nozzle the higher portion will first intercept a portion of the jet and as it is raised further will progressively 1ntercept more of the of spray until finally the entire jetis .intercepted and caused to pass downwardly into the drip pan. Thus any desired hui'nidification can be obtained from the maximum which is produced when the air from the fan is projected through the full conoidal jet to a minimum when the 'water is caused toflow in a substantially frame, theother end of the lever 49 being connected by a wire 51 or other suitable means to a suitable regulating device which is sensitive to the moisture condition of the air in the enclosure and preferably so positioned as to be subject to the influence of the air entering the humidifier casing.

In the preferred construction the lever 49 extends beyond the support 50 and is at" tached to the lower end of a tension spring 52, the upper end of which is secured to a stud 53 upon the bracket or support 50 so that the spring 52 tends to force the shield below the path of the conoidal filmof spray formed by the nozzle.

In the prefered construction the movement of the lever 49 is controlled by automatic regulating means which are subject to the air of the enclosure, before it enters the humidifier, and which operates when the moisture of the air of the enclosure exceeds a predetermined amount to raise the free end of the lever 49 and shield gradually thereby elevate the into the path of the jet so that a portion or the whole'of the jet is diverted from the ath of the current of air, passing through Q16 humidifier as above described.

Any suitable regulating means which is sensitive to the moisture condition of the air of theenclosure may be employed for controlling the movement of the lever 49 and the sleeve 45. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing the wire 51, the lower end of which is connected to the lever 49, is connected at its upper end to one end of a hygroscopic member 54, such as a thread or threads of fibrous material, which passes over suitable guide rollers and 56 preferably mounted' in a channel-shaped frame 57 which extends between the supporting members 6 and 7 of the humidifier. This channel-shaped supporting frame serves to prevent lint and dust from settling on the by groscopic members and also to protect them from injury while permitting free access of the air of the enclosure to them.

Suitable means may be provided for adjusting the position of the hygroscopic member for'the purpose of setting the humidifier to supply a desired amount of humidity to the enclosure. As illustrated herein the opposite end of the hygroscopic member 54, from that which is connected to the wire 51, is secured to an extension 58 of an ad justing screw 59, the threads of which engage complementary threads in the plate 60 at the end of'the frame 57. The screw 59 desirably is provided with a milled head 61 and also with an index 62, positioned over a suitable dial 63 which is provided with graduations to indicate the degree of humidity at which the hygroscopic member is set to operate, or in other words, to set the device for the initial wet bulb depression. By providing different hygroscopic mate rials different conditions of humidity can be maintained in the enclosure as certain materials have greater absorptive properties than others. mills for treating textile materials it is usually desirable that the hygroscopic member shall be of a material which corresponds in humidifier,

Where the humidifier is installed in,

absorptive properties to that of the material being treated inthe particular enclosure in which the humidifier is located. For example, in cotton mills the hygroscopic member may be made of cotton fibre; in woolen mills or worsted mills the hygroscopic member is preferably of'woolen or worsted material; in silk mills of silk, etc. Thus changes in the humidity of the room, which would affeet the working of the product itself, affect in the same way and to the same extent the hygroscopic member of the regulator and the expansion or contraction of the hygroscopic member will thereby be caused to maintain a desired condition of humidity in the product beingtreated.

In the operation of the device water is suppliedthrough the pipe 27 to the water motor and also to the nozzle. That which is supplied to the water motor rotates the fan at a high'speed and projects a strong current of air through the humidifier. The water from the pipe 27, which is admitted through the valve 28 to the spray nozzle, issues from said nozzle in the form of a stream which impinges upon the top of'the pin 37 and produces a conoidal'film or spray. Desirably the flat end of the pin 37 is so positioned that the film will break into a spray about the time it strikes the wall of the inner casing. The current of air from the fan, passing through the sprayof water thus produced, becomes charged with moisture and issues through the aperture between the lower ends of the inner and outer casings and the pan 12.

In the preferred construction a portion of the current of air produced by the fan passes through the space between the inner and outercasings and is caused by the deflector 15 to beat down any drops of water which otherwise would be blown out of the humidifier by that portion of the current which passes through the inner casing.

Upon starting the humidifier a current of supersaturated air, carrying also some unevaporated spray, is delivered from the but this unevaporated spray is quickly evaporated by the air of the enclosure. As the moisture content of the enc'losure'reaches the desired amount, the action of the hygroscopic member will raise the lever-49 and through it the sleeve 45 or 45 so that the conical jet of spray will be gradually intercepted until the amount thereof is reduced sufliciently to produce the desired output of moisture from the humidifier, whereupon the amount of spray will remain substantially constant until a condition in the enclosure occurs which causes the moisture content of the air of the enclosure to change. The hygroscopic member will at once respond to such change and cause the humidifier to supply more or less dition of humidiLy.-

ing the speed of rotation of the fan or the. amount of water delivered from the nozzle of the humidifier.

By reason of this invention a very compact and relatively inexpensive humidifier is produced which can be readily installed in any usual plant and which will operate eii'ectively and economically to maintain a desired condition of humidity in the enclosure in which it is installed.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention particularly disclosed herein is not restrictive and that various modifications may be made in form, construction and arrangement of parts. For example, while it is generally desirable to suspend humidifiers of this type from the ceiling of the enclosure in which they are. .used, under certain conditions, as in low pos'tedrooms, it is desirable to arrange them upon horizontal axes. It is obvious that the entire construction may bereadily adapted forhorizontal use by merely rearranging the supporting members and omitting the drip pan, the-water in suchease being collected in the bottom of the main horizontal casing from which it may be delivered by a suit-' able waste pipe. By providing a suitable conduit moistened air from the humidifier may be delivered to any desirable portion.

of the enclosure or to another enclosure or enclosures located at a distance from the humidifier, such arrangements merely requiring the application of the skill of those familiar with the humidiiying art.

Having thus described'the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A humidifier comprising a casing, means within said casing for producing a jet of spray, means for projecting a current of air through the spray and adjustable regulating means operable to intercept a portion of spray produced and thereby to regulate the amount of moisture delivered by the humidifier without varying the air current or the amount of liquid deliveredto' said spray producing means.

2. A humidifier comprising a casing, spray-producing means within said casing, means for projecting a current of air said nozzle.

- i up.

through the spray and adjustable regulating means operable to intercept a portion of the spray presented in the path of said current ofair and thereby regulate the amount of moisture delivered from the humidifier without varying the air current or the amount (if fluid delivered to said spray producing means. v

3. A humidifier comprising a casing, means for producing a conoidal jet of spray within said casing,meanstor projectinga current ofair through said spray and ad justable regulating means operable selectively' to partially or fully divert into a stream the liquid which forms the jet of spray and thereby regulate the amount of moisture delivered by the humidifier without varying the air current or the amount of fluid delivered to said spray producing means.

- 4. A humidifier comprising a cylindrical casing, means for producing a conoidal jet of spray within said casing, means for pro jecting a current of air through said spray and automatically operable regulating means for gradually varying the amount of spray delivered in the path of the current of air in correlation to the amount of moisture in the air supplied to the humidifier.

5. A humidifier comprising a cylindrical casing, meansfor producing'a conoidal jet of spray within said casing, means for projecting a current of air through said spray and automatically operable regulating means for gradually varying the amount of spray in correlation to the amount of moisture in. the air supplied to the humidifier including a member sensitive to moisture, so positioned as to be influenced by the moisture content ofthe air as it enters the humidifier.

6. A humidifier comprising a casing, means within said casing for producing a conoidal jet of spray, means for projecting a current of air-through the spray, automatically operable regulating means operable gradually to divert into a stream'a part or the whole of the liquid delivered to said spray producing means and means for controlling said regulating means including a member sensitive to moisture, so positioned as to be influenced by the moisture content of the air as it enters the humidifier.

'Z.=A- humidifier comprising a casing, a nozzle within said casingoperable to pro duce a jet of spray, a sleeve adjustably mounted adjacent said nozzle and means for moving said'sleeve to intercept and render ineffective a portion of thewater delivered by said nozzle without substantially modifying the volume of water passing through 8. A humidifier comprising a casing, a nozzle within said casing operable to produce a jet of spray, a sleeve adjustably mounted adjacent said nozzle, automaticlit!) lite means for moving said sleeve to restrict the effective action of said spray without substantially modifying the volume of water passing through said nozzle including a member sensitive to the moisture the air' entering the humidifier.

9. A humidifier comprising a casing, a nozzle within said casing operable to produce a jet of spray, a sleeve adjustably mounted adjacent said nozzle and automatic regulating means for moving said sleeve to restrict the effective action of said spray including a hygroscopic member located ads acent the intake of said casing.

10. A humidifier comprising a casing, a nozzle within said casing operable to produce a jet of spray, a sleeve adjustably." mounted adjacent said nozzle and automatic regulating means for moving said sleeveto restrict the effective action of said spray including a hygroscopic member located adjacent the intake of said casingand means for adjusting said regulating means operable to cause said humidifier to maintain the atmosphere 'of the enclosure at different predetermined degrees of humidity.

11. A humidifier comprising a casing, a-

nozzle within said casing operable to produce a conodial jet of spray, a sleeve adjacent said nozzle arran ed in axial relation thereto, means for moving said sleeve to restrict the effective action of said spray including a lever connected to said sleeve intermediate of its ends and pivotally mounted at one end, a hygroscopic member concontent of humidifier casing adjacent the inlet there-'- of and adjustable means connected to the other end of said hygroscopic member operable through said hygroscopic member and lever to position said sleeve relatively to said nozzle.

13. A humidifier for use in textile mills comprising a casing, a nozzle Within said casing operable to produce .a jet of spray, a sleeve adjustably mounted adjacent said nozzle and automatic regulating means for moving said'sleeve to restrict the effective action of the spray including a hygroscopic member located adjacent the intake of said casing, said hygroscopic member having substantially the same moisture-absorptive property as that of the material being treated in the enclosure of the mill in which the humidifier is installed.

v In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM B. HODGE 

